PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Simon Strange (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cole River (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). River has chosen Creedence Clearwater Revival - Born On The Bayou as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Strange
vs
River

175 cm
27
173 lbs
16 - 8 - 0

188 cm
34
175 lbs
35 - 9 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bullet Proof System
GREEN!160

KAISER
GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Simon Strange!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 9 - 1, fighting out of New York, Cole River!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Taro Takaoka and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An inside leg kick from River misses.
Strange appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
River doesn't manage to clinch there - Strange circles away.
Strange changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
River misses with a body punch

and Strange counters with a nice double leg into guard.
River preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Strange throws a big right hand that misses.
River looking for a sweep. Not yet River, not yet.
River trying to keep a closed guard but Strange is proving a slippery customer.
River keeping full guard, as Strange tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
River is controlling Strange's posture.
River bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Strange's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
River controls from within his opponent's guard.
River trying to control the position from guard on top but Strange is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Strange looking for a sweep. Not yet Strange, not yet.

Strange looking for a guillotine here but River defends easily.
River is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
River trying to control the position from guard on top but Strange is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
River is stalling in the full guard.

River avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Strange looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River sitting in guard here, content to control.
Strange has a closed guard, preventing River from standing up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
River throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
River finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Cole River seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
River rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Strange moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Strange appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
River throws a leg kick but Strange sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
River fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Strange is out of range.
Strange drops down looking for a counter takedown but River sprawls and moves away.

River instigates a clinch.
River misses with a short punch on the inside.
Strange misses with a hook from the clinch.
River lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Strange escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Strange on the wrong end of a nice jab.
River looks to score with a jab to the body but Strange is just out of range.
Strange looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
River scores with a shot to the body.
River is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Strange.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cole River dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

River is looking to land body kicks.
River throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Strange attempts a counter takedown but River avoids it well and moves away.
River waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Strange.
Strange attempts a counter takedown but River avoids it well and moves away.
River pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Strange tries to counter with a takedown but River is quick to defend against it.
River looks to score with a jab to the body but Strange is just out of range.
Strange changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
River throws a sloppy head kick and Strange moves out of range easily.
Strange half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
River tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Strange decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in River's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
River looking to hit a scissor sweep but Strange is one step ahead there.
Strange missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Strange loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Strange tries to free his leg and advance position but River is retaining full guard.
Strange stopping the sweep attempt from River.
Strange postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
River pulls Strange in to control the position.
River tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Strange throws a big elbow that misses.
River working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Strange.
River seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Strange lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strange postures up and lands a big shot to River's brow.
River looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Strange stands up over River, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Strange has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Strange landing some decent shots from guard.
Strange with a nice head shot there.
River pulls Strange in close to his closed guard and prevents Strange from doing any damage or advancing position.
Strange might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Strange keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of River's head.
River has his hands on Strange's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strange with a flurry of punches that miss.
River has momentary wrist control but Strange slips an elbow through the middle.
River looking for a sweep. Not yet River, not yet.
Strange throwing strikes but missing.
Simon Strange overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
River pulls Strange in close to his closed guard and prevents Strange from doing any damage or advancing position.
Strange throwing strikes but missing.
Strange is looking to work some ground and pound but River has wrist control.
Strange with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strange postures up in River's guard and throws a big left but River blocks it.
River is adopting a defensive guard.
River not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
River bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Strange's guard.

Strange can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as River controls the pace.
River trying to control but Strange is working from the bottom.

Strange has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but River can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Strange looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Strange dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

River moves in looking to clinch but Strange pushes him off.
Strange appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
River thows a left - swing and a miss!
River tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Strange checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Strange appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
An inside leg kick from River misses.
Strange half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
River throws the kick towards the body but Strange avoids it.
Simon Strange is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from River, right into the meat.
River misses with a wild body shot.
Strange tries to counter with a takedown but River is quick to defend against it.
River throws a leg kick

and Strange counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for River!

That's one minute gone in the round.
River is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Strange tries to score with some ground and pound. River controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
River is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Strange is controlling him well.
River on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Strange in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Strange misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
River tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Strange working away.
Strange lands an elbow.
River can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strange in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
River is trying to get back to half guard.
The ground and pound from Strange seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Strange scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at River to see if he's OK.
River defending against the ground and pound.
Strange lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
River is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Strange throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River is looking for a sweep.
Strange throws a strike aimed at the side of River's head but River avoids it well.

Strange is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. River knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
River tries to buck Strange off but Strange is having none of it.
Strange in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Strange in side control lands a decent elbow.
Strange throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
River tries to bench press Strange off him but Strange keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strange lands an elbow.
River is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on River's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Strange misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
River is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on River's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
River is working to avoid the ground and pound but Strange connects with a decent elbow.
Strange working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simon Strange showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Strange has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simon Strange!
Simon Strange seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.